Aquatic figure toy



Sept. l, 1953 T c, MARTIN 2,650,453

AQUATIC FIGURE TOY Filed May 24, 1947 Flll [NVENTR 731mm V70/2o WWW? by ATToRNEY Patented Sept. l, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

The present invention relates to a toy and, more particularly, to a figurine having the characteristics of a water fowl. The toy of the present invention provides the figurine with animation, which is obtained through the rocking or oscillation of the body of the toy when floating on the water. The toy may be used as a bath toy for a small child when playing or splashing in the bath tub. Under these conditions, the figurine will oscillate actively and the animation of its characteristic beak and eyes affords amusement and delight to the tot in the water.

The present invention will be more fully de-I scribed in the specification-below, in connection with the drawings annexed hereto, in which:

Fig. l shows a side elevation of the toy;

Fig. 2 shows a section taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 shows a fragmentary section as viewed partly from the left of Fig. 1.

In the arrangement indicated in the drawings, the base I may be rounded in the form characteristic of a duck or other water fowl, with a weight 2 at the bottom. The body may be of light wood material, such as balsa wood and the like, and may be ornamentally decorated in colors representing feathers and wings. Attached to the body portion I is a head portion 3 which cornprises a shell or casing symmetrical with a central axis and having a section through the axis substantially in an oval form with flat sides 4 and 5 (see Fig. 2). This shell may be mounted on the body by cementing or other suitable means. The shell 3 may be formed in two symmetrical halves, with water drains 3a and 4a, the halves being attached or cemented together along a central joining plane. At the forward end of this casing 3 in the central plane, there is provided a slot 6 through which the lower beak l of the figurine extends. This beak is attached to a shaft 8 which has a cross support 9 acting as a pivot in a bearing element I0, which has onehalf formed in one-half of the shell 4 and the other half in the other part of the shell 5. The shaft 8 carries also the eye structure II providing at either side the eye elements I 2 and I3. which may be large discs with round bulls-eyes or some similar characteristic. These bulls-eyes are positioned opposite the openings or windows I 4 and I 5. The shaft 8 extends at its rear through a slot I6 in a guide plate IB, which, however, permits it to move freely about the balance pivot 9.

The whole structure just described is balanced about the pivot 9 so that any oscillation or motion of the figurine will cause the lower beak and eyes to move and oscillate about the point of balance. A stationary upper beak I'I is attached to the shell 3 so that the oscillation of the lower beak gives the appearance of the bird opening and shutting its mouth and blinking at the same time.

The figurine may have various decorations and may be colored as desired. The figurine shown in the drawings is provided with a sailors hat I 8, tilted forward on the shell 3, which acts as the head, with the element I acting as the body of the figurine.

The operation and use of the invention readily follows from the description give above. While the toy is designed primarily for use as a water toy, it may nevertheless also be used on a flat surface and for this purpose the outer contour I9 of the base is formed as a rocking chair, so that the toy may be readily rocked back and forth to provide animation of the beak and eyes as above described.

As indicated in Figures 1 and 3, the Weight 2 is mounted on the base on the inside wall which bulges outward at the sides and front with a tail inclined upwards at the rear in a continuous curve with the outer contour of the base.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

l. A toy of the type described for executing a rocking motion in the water and on a support having the caricature of a water fowl comprising a hollow body member having a longitudinally arched base with the lower` portion thereof having transverse sections which are slightly inwardly concaved lines, a counterweight mounted in substantially the lowest longitudinal portion of the base and extending transverse to the longitudinal direction, a hollow head member mounted on the top of said hollow base just rearward of the forward end thereof, said head member having substantially flat parallel sides positioned in,- wardly of the sides of the hollow body with transparent window contours in positions for simulating the eyes of the fowl, a fixed upper beak projecting from the forward part of the head member forward of the front of the body, a movable lower beak terminating in a member extending inward into said hollow head and having a pivoting shaft projecting transversely on each side of said member, a supporting bearing forming a part of and projecting inwardly of the wall of the hollow head for supporting said pivoting shaft whereby said lower beak is pivoted in the hollow wall of the head at the front thereof, a pair of disc elements carrying eye pupils and means supporting said disc elements from said inwardly extending member, said elements being supported in parallel relation and spaced from said open window and a transverse partition provided across the back of the head forming a guide for said extension having a slot therein in which said extension may oscillate as the beak and eye pupils move said lower beak, disk elements and inwardly extending member forming a balance system for free movement on said pvot as said toy moves the body, beak and head with the body eounterweight providing a longitudinal balance with the head upright and transverse balance with the body level.

2. A toy of the type described for executing a rocking motion in the water and on a support having the caricature of a water fowl comprising a hollow body member havingv a longitudinally arched base with the lower portion thereof having transverse sections which are slightly inwardly concaved lines, a 'counterweight mounted in substantially the lowest longitudinal portion of the base and extending transverse to the longitudinal direction, a hollow head member mounted on the top of said hollow base just rearward of the forward end thereof, said head member having substantially flat parallel sides positioned inwardly of the hollow body with transparent window contours in positions for simulating the eyes of the fowl, a xed upper beak projecting from the forward part of the head member forward of the front of the body, a movable lower beak terminating in a member extending inward into said hollow head and having a pivoting shaft projecting transversely on each side of said member, a supporting bearing forming a part of and. projecting inwardly of the wall of the hollow head for supporting said pivoting shaft whereby said lower beak is pivoted in the hollow wall of the Y head at the front thereof, a pair of disc elements carrying eye pupils and means supporting said disc elements from said inwardly extending member, said elements being supported in parallel relation and spaced from said open window and a transverse partition provided across the back of the head forming a guide for said extension having a slot therein in which said extension may oscillate as the beak and eye pupils' move said lower beak, disk elements and inwardly extending member forming a balanced system for free movement on said pivot as said toy moves and small openings in the wall of the head just behind the junction with the base and where said partition at its lowest point joins the wall of the head, the body, beak and head with the body counterweight providing a longitudinal balance with the head upright and transverse balance with the body level. Y

THOMAS C. MARTIN.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Wison Jan. 17, o 

